The dissidents were able to create culture in a society that constantly tried to banish it, and because of this they have become part of Czech culture itself. Their resistance is just one shining example of what many citizens lived through for years while Czechoslovakia was under Soviet occupation. A constant struggle with the Communist regime, the inability to express their true selves, and finally defiance have led the people of the Czech Republic to where they are today – and their progress is astounding. In just over 20 years, the country has been able to rapidly transform into a nation and government by, of, and for the people, and it does not seem like a stretch to say that the dissidents helped them get there. (click below to download the paper)